The Consequenses Of Helping A Friend Or Two
by Tropelicious
Summary: Pepper started avoiding Tony after he began to date Whitney. But after a few weeks Rhodey had enough and gave them a little push in the right direction. Pepperony, onesided WhitneyxTony. ONE-SHOT.


**Set after "Line Of Fire". But Pepper and Happy are friends in secrecy. And she's kinda uncomfortable around Tony.**

_Pepper's POV_

Pepper had tried to avoid Tony all week. She did even ditched school on Thursday, making her dad furious. So he personally dropped her off outside the school on Friday.

"And if I hear a word about school absence, you're dead. Have a good day now, sweetie."He hugged her and she kissed his cheek.

"I will."She sighed and took the backpack from her dad's hands.

"Take care."

She sighed as reply and turned around, facing the school front door. To her annoyance Tony talked to Whitney in the doorway. Then the familiar urge to hide shot thru her chest and she quickly climbed up the wall.

"Pepper?"Rhodey looked amused at her, who was hanging on to the window-ledge on the second floor.

"Shh! I'm trying to-"

"Hide from Tony, I know."He sighed."Get down from there, you're ridiculous. Just tell him."

"Tell him what?"

"That you like him."

"I do not!"She landed on the ground, rubbing her throbbing fingers.

"Just do it!"

"I don't like him!"

She groaned and walked up the front stairs. She took a deep breath and walked past them, with closed eyes.

"Hey Pepper!"Tony said.

She just pressed on.

_Tony's POV_

"Pepper?"He looked surprised at her."Hello?"

She rounded the corner and disappeared.

"Ugh, I told you that she's ill-behaved."

"I don't know what's wrong with her. She's been weird these last two weeks, and now she's ignoring me completely!"

"Well, pay attention to me then."She said flirty and Tony smiled sly.

"I guess I have to."He put his hand on the wall next to her, leaning closer.

She smiled, but let out a gasp in surprise when Rhodey snapped Tony with him towards the lockers.

"You have to stop this 'flirting around with every girl in New York' thing!"Rhodey sighed."It's weird, wrong and yuckie."

"I can do whatever I want, MOM."Tony chuckled and glanced towards the approaching Whitney.

"You have to stop this now."

"Fine, I'll tone down on the flirt/charmy-mode."

"Good. I gotta go find Pepper."

"Dude, why does she ignore me? I've done nothing to offend her, but she keeps avoiding me!"He grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from leaving.

"Maybe she's as disgusted of this new behavior as me. See you."

"Aww, come on!"

_Rhodey's/Tony's POV_

Rhodey chuckled and walked around the same corner as Pepper. He spotted her talking to Happy, twinning her hair. Happy smiled big, nodding and patting her shoulder.

"It sounds cool! See you then!"

Rhodey walked up to Pepper.

"You're going out with Happy Hogan again?"

"No! We're just going to hang out as FRIENDS nowadays. But tell Tony we're going out, so he'll maybe ignore me!"

"What makes you think that he'll be upset about it?"

"Good God Rhodey, he's totally in love with me!"She said sarcastically and closed the locker.

Behind the locker a wild Tony appeared, smiling slyer than before.

"Who likes you? I bet it's Happy."

"Oh, look at the time! I got some… important… stuff to do."Pepper pushed the books down in her backpack, leaving them fast.

Tony followed her with his eyes, until she bumped into Happy again.

"Who likes Pepper?"Tony sounded curious.

"You. But you like Whitney too, so it doesn't count."

"What? I don't like Pepper!"

"You sound just like her."

"Like her- She hates herself?"

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!"Rhodey banged his forehead with his books.

"What- Oh…"Tony's sly expression faded and he looked surprised.

He ran a hand thru his hair, trying to let it sink it.

"Pepper… Likes me?"He leaned against the lockers.

"Dude, isn't that obvious? I mean, she's been all 'understanding' and 'giving you two lovebirds space', but she's just trying to avoid you, so her little secret won't spill out by mistake when she's angry or something!"Rhodey stated the obvious.

"But she said that-"

"No, she never thought she'd have a chance with you, and ever since your little 'Oh, kiss me!' moment- AND yes I knew about it- she just pushed herself lower down the confident ladder since you started dating Whitney. You screwed up your only chance of being with the girl who you should be! GOD!"Rhodey almost yelled and walked away.

Tony put the pieces together, one after one.

_She doesn't wanna hang out anymore, she keeps avoiding me and she acts like she's all understanding. And here I thought she ignored me because I date her archenemy. Pepper likes… Me? ME? _

_Pepper's POV_

Pepper sat down on her bed, trying to calm herself down.

_DID HE HEAR ALL OF IT? DID HE HEAR WHAT I SAID?_

Pepper buried her face in her hands and groaned in regret.

_I'm going to die. I won't return to school after lunch. I will just casually ignore him the rest of the year, hoping that he and Whitney get married, like it's supposed to be. I don't deserve being with him. Not Whitney either, but she sure does act like it. So she'll handle it better! _

_I better get back in the saddle, maybe start dating someone. Like Hammer. Justin Hammer, the super-yummy teengirl dream! I saved his life, and we are friends… Kinda. So I'll ask him out, rub it all in Tony's face to show that I not like him. The more jerk you are, the more he'll unlike you._

**No, stupid girl, he'll just be more jealous and want you even more than before./Author**

She walked out of her apartment, locking the door and heading towards school.

_Tony's POV_

Tony flirted with Whitney as Pepper walked into the hallway. Now, he flirted with her to maintain an impression of normality. He lost track of what he was saying as he followed Pepper's every step. Whitney grabbed his jaw, forcing him to look at her.

"Something wrong sweetie?"She asked; honeysweet.

"Ehm, nothing really, I just have to talk to Pepper for a couple of minutes."

"Fine, see you later."She kissed him on the lips quickly and walked towards the cafeteria.

He took a deep breath and knocked softly on the redhead's shoulder. She spun around, looking surprised.

"Oh, hi Tony!"She looked nervous.

"Uhm, hi. I got to talk to you for a second."

"I actually don't have time!"Pepper said quickly."I got a lunch-date with Happy."

"Again with this Happy thing? You're _really _going to keep on this lie?"He smiled devious and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes, and it's not a lie! I actually like him."She turns around and unlocked her locker.

"Like you like me?"He said and leaned on the lockers next to hers.

_Pepper's POV_

She froze and chocked on her breath. She opened the locker door, making the terrifying, confident jerk disappear behind the small door. His sly smile made her all nauseous inside. She stared into the locker, trying not to scream into it. She began to breathe again.

"Excuse me?"She looked coldly at him over the side-edge of the locker.

"Too late to save the situation, Pepper."

"What 'situation'?"

"I saw your little freak out there."He smiled victorious.

"Why would I in the world like you?"

"Aouch."He smiled even wider."Why not?"

"Yeah sure, you're sweet and nice and thoughtful, but you're also an arrogant, know-it-all, stupid, womanizing, self-blaming-"She ranted on, but got cut off by him.

He closed the lockerdoor quick and pulled her into a kiss. Pepper's eyes grew wide open as he crushed his lips onto hers. His hands held steadily but softly her head against his, not letting her stop him. They heard a scream, some gasps and an amused sigh. Pepper tried to break the kiss, scared as hell. But Tony on the contrary enjoyed the kiss.

_Tony's POV_

He never felt something like it before. It felt thousand times more electrifying than with Whitney. He pulled her even closer, not getting enough. He took his left hand and placed it on her lower back. He pulled her body closer and lifted her right arm up around his neck.

"Tony…!"

He didn't even react.

"Tony!"

He grunted a little, trying to avoid the sharp voice.

"ANTHONY STARK!"Whitney screamed at the top of her lungs.

Tony parted from Pepper, who had been all frozen up thru the whole kiss. He slowly spun around, facing Whitney.

"WHAT THE HELL?"She yelled, looking even more terrifying than the Fin-Fang-Foom.

"Ehm, I can-"

"PLEASE! I WANT AN EXPLANATION!"Whitney almost spit as she screamed.

"If you let me finish: I can't explain."

"WHAT? HOW COULD YOU KISS THAT PEASANT?"

"Hey! I'm not a peasant!"Pepper stuttered weakly and backed a few steps.

"GAAHH! YOU'RE INCREDIBLE! THIS IS SO YOU, TONY! AAAAGGHH!"Whitney stormed off.

Rhodey could barely hold in his laughter. Tony sighed and looked at Pepper.

"I'll be back, just have to talk to my- Okay, I think we're not a couple anymore!"He ran after her, trying to not smile widely.

_Pepper's POV_

Pepper crouched, leaning against the lockers, looking confused.

"How are you holding up?"Rhodey asked and sat down on his bum next to her.

"Does this mean he likes me too…? Or is he messing with my mind? If he's trying to pull a joke on me, I promise his sorry ass will be under a tombstone!"

"He's not that casanovy, Pepper. I think he actually likes you. Which is out of my understanding, but I think I'm speaking the truth."

"But he's really not going to break up with her, is he? She's hot! He would prefer being her boyfriend than mine!"

"I believe you got a pretty fair chance with him."

"What would you choose? An attractive, blonde girl with the ideal looks or the nonstop talking redhead who always seeks danger and adventure, risking her own life all day, every day?"

"The redhead definitely. I think she'd be more of girlfriend material for Tony, since he lives on the edge all day, every day. I think he'd enjoy protecting the girl, fighting crime and spending time with the adventurous girl more than sitting in café's, talking about nonsense."

"But I am repelling!"

"No, you're not. I would go out with you… Okay, I don't like white chicks. Sorry to burst your bubble there."Rhodey chuckled and she smiled a little.

"Oh no! The man I wanna marry doesn't like my skin type! NooOoOOooOo!"She giggled and slapped his shoulder hard.

"Aouw!"

"I gotta go start hide from Tony again."She stood up, as did Rhodey.

"Can't you stay and let Tony at least try to solve this mess?"

"Nah, I'm kinda scared."Pepper said and ran thru the hallway, trying to not get seen by Anthony Stark.

_Rhodey's POV_

Rhodey sighed as Pepper ran away. Just when she turned right towards the gym, Tony came around the corner in the other hallway, looking half sad, half amused.

"So… What happened?"Rhodey laughed a little.

"Not funny. Now when I think of it- Why did I kiss Pepper? Why do I have to mess things up everytime?"He banged his fist into the lockers, leaving a little dent in it.

"Maybe because you like her? Maybe because kissing her was way more thrilling and awesome than you ever felt with Whitney? Maybe because you know that if you spend time with Pepper, you know that she'll fulfill your sick urge of living on the edge? Maybe because you know that with Pepper you'll never be bored, because she matches you up almost completely, all naturally?"Rhodey said, looking him straight in the eyes."NOW GO GET SOME!"

"Gah. I hate when you're right."

"Not in this case, I believe. Pepper ran somewhere."Rhodey looked at his best friend."You're really messing with her head, you know."

"I didn't mean to- I mean- Ugh, I hate my life right now. I messed up bad."

"Try to solve your 'I just kissed my best friend I have a secret crush on' problem, and I'll grab you some lunch."

"Thanks man."Tony patted Rhodey's shoulder and ran towards the gym.

_Tony's POV_

He sprinted up to the gym, which was up on the roof. He skidded in the corners, making his shoe-soles scream in protest. He ran even faster than before, his target finding Patricia Potts. He panted hard as he reached the basket court. He spotted Pepper sitting in the dugout on the right side of the court.

_Pepper's POV_

She buried her head in her hands and groaned loud. She felt that the bench sunk down a little. She lifted her head and tilted it towards the extra weight on the bench.

_GAAHH!_

"GAAHH!"Pepper yelled and covered her mouth with her hand.

He smiled towards her.

"What the hell?"She said, muffled by her hand.

He gently removed it, putting it on her lap.

"Actually, Rhodey told me."

"That son of a bitch!"Pepper became irritated.

"He's a pain in the ass."

"Well, I know what you're gonna say, so my response is: Okay, I understand. I'll switch school and I'll never tell anyone you being-"

"Head over heels in love with you."

"Whaa…?"Pepper looked at him, with eyes big as basketballs.

"I kinda been denying it, or being slow as hell. But I am still a super genius."He smiled a little.

"…"

"I mean, you're my best friend! I'm not supposed to like you like that. After that… awkward moment in the new armory, I didn't know what to do, and I guess I started to date Whitney to hide from the truth.. We're not supposed to have feelings for each other! You're my only true girlfriend… I mean, in a friendshippy way-"

"I get it."Pepper smiled faintly.

"And I don't seriously know what to do. So, you maybe should take over from here."He had stopped smiling.

"Uh- okay."

Awkward silence.

"I guess I have been a tinsy-winsy bit jealous."

"The words you're looking for is 'super jealous'."

"If you wanna do this, then go on!"

"Okay, I'll listen!"

"Eh.. And I dated Happy-"

"To make me jealous?"

"NO! What I was going to say was: I dated Happy 4 times before we made a deal to be friends instead. And it never came up with you all, so I kinda liked it that you thought that I was dating him."

"You went out with him voluntarily after that?"

"If you mean: Because I wanted to, then yes."

"Seriously?"

_Tony's POV_

"Happy is a nice guy! And he protected me way better than Iron Man! Where has he been all these weeks? OH! Selfishly making out with his girlfriend!"Pepper smiled evil.

"Hey! I don't have a comeback for that!"

"Thought so."

"Go on."He grunted.

"And.. I don't have anything else to say."

"You forgot how incredibly sexy I am."He smirked.

"You forgot how incredibly arrogant you are."

"You seemed to forget what a good kisser I am."He said and kissed her.

He pulled her closer, feeling the same electrifying feeling frying his implant. The thrill was even bigger than before, making him want to kiss her many times after this.

"I think you're right."She chuckled as they parted.

"I am always right, Pepper."

"Tony, you're never right. Sorry, but do you remember Gene? Or when you thought that the Black Panther was really a cyborg?"

"It's called a bionic humanoid."

"You just made that up."

"Got me."

"So… How will this chaos end?"Pepper asked, looking sad.

"Well, I kinda hoped you already got that you're my girlfriend now. But if that's not the case-"He stood up, smiling widely.

"No! I would love being your girlfriend!"

"How about I pick you up for dinner tonight, let's say seven?"He smirked victorious.

"Sounds wonderful."She smiled and took his hand.


End file.
